Living, For the First Time
by ShadesofImagination
Summary: Chaos confronts his first taste of human emotion when he finds a blond swordsman making his way up Mt. Nibel. Chaos/Cloud. For Lady Avarice.


**A/N: Strange love is strange? Hmm, I think I like it though. I've always wanted to try writing Chaos. Anyway, this is for Lady Avarice, whose piece 'Chaos Courting' inspired this thing. **

**Rating: T for...man kisses? Surprisingly there is no bad language in here at all. **

**Warnings: See rating. **

**Living, For the First Time**

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Gold eyes scanned the mountainous range and Chaos fought the urge to sigh.

That little blond was always getting himself into trouble.

He let himself drift along the wind currents, following the slightly sweet scent he was tracking. That was something he had always found strange; his little blond smelled like flowers, rich and sweet like honeysuckles, while still retaining a warriors scent of sword polish and too much blood on his hands. It was intriguing to say the least.

"Ah hah," the winged being murmured to himself, spotting a light coming from one of the top most caves on Mt. Nibel. ~_Of course he would make for the mako caverns_. Chaos had to admit, it was very intelligent to do so. Some of the best materia came from the natural mako pools and the little blond was one of the only humans who could freely reach in to grab them- without ill effects. Courtesy of that idiot Hojo no doubt.

With a crooked smile, he started his descent and, once again, fought off a sigh. It felt incredibly good to stretch his wings whenever he felt like it; to have his own body.

_~Returning to the planet only to awaken once again. How...ideal.~_

Admittedly, he had been a little miffed to wake up and find out he'd actually absorbed some of his former hosts humanity...but he supposed it was to be expected when one was locked inside a human mind for so many years.

The Gods certainly had a wonderful sense of humor.

The All Father was most likely to blame in any case. The old geezer had always enjoyed toying with things; Chaos especially.

However, he would have to thank Vincent one day. His capacity to feel an emotion such as love surely came from the marksman's own broken heart. At least he was on the mend. What the ex-Turk saw in that crude, smoking mess was beyond his reasoning however.

He landed silently, slipping through the shadows and up to the fire. "You spend far too much time out here, Cloud."

A sword was slicing through the air before he'd finished his words and he chuckled, jumping back fluidly. The little blond would never change. Bright eyes, glowing with adrenaline and mako, were blinking at him. "...Chaos?"

He inclined his head a bit, dismissing his wings in favor of being slightly more comfortable in the cave.

Cloud arched an eyebrow at him, settling back down onto the floor and resting First Tsurugi at his side. "How long have you been following me?"

"Since I caught the scent of flowers." _~And Blood,~_ his mind added, but he doubted the swordsman would want to hear such a thing. He sat, tossing his legs out near the fire with a smile. The blonds company really was too enjoyable to pass up.

"Why?"

"Is it too much to visit an old friend?"

Cloud's lips twitched as he raised his canteen to cover his smile. "I see."

"Are you sure?" Chaos asked with a mocking grin.

"Perhaps I do not. Does it matter?"

"You might be right, little blond. Perhaps it does not matter..." He let his words trail off, choosing to turn his attention to the tattered black leather falling over his legs.

It was moments like these where Chaos hated his former host with an incredible passion; hated the humanity that was forced upon him.

Omega's former squire...was nervous.

And he hated it.

_~You could say something, idiot.~_ How many times had he told his host the same thing? When he turned into such a hypocrite, he wasn't sure. Instead, he raised a hand, watching the fire glint off the golden claws, as he lost himself in thought.

Very few beings, human or otherwise, could stand before him without fear. Cloud Strife and Vincent Valentine being the only two he could name. Perhaps that is what drew him to the blond warrior. He feared only himself, labeling Chaos as a danger, but one that could be allied with and perhaps, in time, even considered a friend. No one had ever spoken to _him _while he was bound to Vincent- except Cloud.

He would always remember Cloud for that specific reason.

Because, somehow, that was significant.

"Chaos?"

He turned, noting Cloud had moved at some point to kneel beside him. "Yes, little blond?"

There was a flicker of annoyance in those blue eyes before it was washed away with something akin to the concern in his voice, "Something wrong?"

"Many things are 'wrong', little blond. Of which would you be referring to?" He was pushing it, he knew it, but he loved to get a rise. However, in all their years of acquaintance, he had yet to actually get one from the man beside him.

"Bloody Daemon. You know exactly what I mean."

_~Ah, there it is...~ _There was something satisfying about the teasing note in Cloud's voice. "I am well, Cloud. Your concern touches my black heart."

Cloud gave him a long look, then shrugged. "Well, at least it matches the rest of you."

A rolling laugh bubbled out of Chaos before he could stop it. It was a chilling sound, he knew, but the blond did not seem upset. If anything, he appeared just as amused as he himself was.

"I've never heard you laugh."

"It is usually better that way."

A questioning brow shot up and Chaos rolled his eyes. "A daemon's laughter precedes death, little blond. There is a reason it makes your blood run cold and your heart beat erratically. The scent of fear is what drives those of us born of darkness."

They fell into silence then. Cloud shifted back to his spot across the fire. It was some time before anything but the crickets and wind were heard.

"Does that mean there's something wrong with me?" It was a quiet question, one Chaos would have missed had he not been concentrating so intently on the silence.

"Probably," he replied bluntly.

He was unprepared for the warm laughter at his answer. It was sweet on his ears. He may even call it honey, or sunshine for his missing soul if he were the kind to wax poetic. He could admit though, it was satisfying to hear such a sound a know he was the cause. "I do not believe I have ever heard you laugh either. Do I amuse you, Cloud?" He teased.

"You do, Chaos."

"Will you go back to Edge when your trip is completed?" Chaos was unsure what brought the question to the forefront of his mind but it needed to be asked, so he obeyed the whim.

Cloud shrugged, "I should. Denzel and Marlene are waiting."

"And your little barmaid?"

The blond frowned and shook his head. "She shouldn't wait for me."

"Because of your love for the dark angel?"

A glare came at him and he sighed internally. Perhaps a lesson in tact was in order sometime. "How did you know that?" The words were sharp, almost biting.

Chaos waved a hand in a nonchalant manner. "I know many things. Unlike your human friends, I am not blind. I see your emotions, can taste them in the air, and almost touch them were they not so pure."

"That love is gone," the blond said quietly, tossing a stick he'd been fiddling with into the fire where it made a crackle.

"Far be it from me to ruin your self delusions." Another glare was his only reply and he resisted a smile. "Tell me, little blond, when did such a feeling bloom?"

"That's none of your business. The past is the past and I'd rather let that skeleton lie." He snapped and ran a hand through his blond spikes. Chaos blinked as he watched the other's hair fall back into it's usual style.

In a smooth motion he was sitting next to Cloud, one hand resting on his thigh and the other sifting through soft locks. The blond made a startled sound and Chaos shushed him, throwing a leg over a trim waist to straddle the little blond. "I am not going to eat you, Cloud. I simply wish to touch something I know is soft."

Cloud gave him a wary look but nodded once, slowly.

_~I wonder if I can get away with a kiss...~_ Deciding to test it, he gripped a handful of hair and tilted Cloud's head back so that he was looking up. "You really are quite lovely, Cloud." With that, he leaned down and placed cool lips to the blonds almost hot ones. He felt Cloud tense before returning the pressure hesitantly. It was just a light brush of lips, a little pressure to make it solid, and then he was pulling back, looking down into pretty blue eyes. "Goodnight, Cloud."

In a whisper of leather and shadows he was gone, leaving a slightly flushed swordsman sitting on the rock floor of the cave.

The next day he tracked Cloud's journey through the caverns and back down the mountain.

He watched with a smile as the little blond stopped near the road where Fenrir was hidden and turned to the wall of trees. "Well, are you coming or what?" Cloud shouted.

For the first time in his horribly long life, Chaos was absolutely stunned as he slunk out of the shadows to stand next to a smiling Cloud who had a faint blush on his cheeks. "Get on," he motioned to the back of his motorcycle as he started it up.

It was only then, sitting on the back of Fenrir, arms wrapped around Cloud's waist, and speeding along the dirt roads Chaos felt truly alive.

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**I hope you enjoyed. **


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